


Saintly Duties

by sheriffdeputy



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Character Death, Moderate Injuries, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reader is the main guardian, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2021-04-24
Packaged: 2021-04-25 16:27:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 19,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22318219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheriffdeputy/pseuds/sheriffdeputy
Summary: Bits and pieces of your relationship with the legendary titan, Saint-14.
Relationships: Guardian/Saint-14 (Destiny), Saint-14 (Destiny)/Reader
Comments: 99
Kudos: 401





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love Saint-14 so much it's unreal. These will all probably be short works, but I hope someone can enjoy them!

If they asked Saint what his first meeting with the Young Wolf was like, he'd describe it as an awe-inspiring encounter that left him amazed and honored for the rest of his long life.

If they asked the Young Wolf?

"Well..."

"They were a sight to behold! Ruthless, powerful!" Saint would bellow. "Beautiful," he'd add on quieter, to which the Young Wolf would advert their gaze with a flattered smile.

"A nightmare." The Young Wolf would sigh in disdain.

When the Fallen had slaughtered his colony on Mercury, Saint was fully prepared to die. The shame and hate he felt were almost too great to fight against, but in his most desperate hour, his guardian first arrived. Your armor was cleaner than any he'd ever seen; sleek and reinforced strongly enough to handle a scorch canon head on. Which you did, moments upon your arrival. It turns out it was only barely capable of doing so.

You didn't have any time to greet him before you launched into combat, sprinting from side to side as you attempted to dodge bullets and grenades. Most of the strafing was futile, and you ended up making a mad dash for Saint's shield with pieces of your shiny armor freshly singed.

"Hi." You bent over with your hands on your knees and took a moment to pant before cocking your shotgun and jumping back out into the fray.

You're genuinely unsure what had gotten into you. Maybe fighting in front of a venerated legend just had you a little nervous. It didn't make all your rookie mistakes any less embarrassing. You made a point to handle the Walkers first, both times stepping a little too close and getting launched back by flaming shrapnel. You were up quickly, but noticeably disoriented. The eliksni were next on your list. Dodging between hostiles, you pumped eight Dregs full of lead and smiled behind your helmet when you heard Saint give an impressed cheer. That definitely made your chest a little tighter than you expected, but you didn't have much time to unpack that—yet. The excitement was short lived.

"Behind you!" Saint-14 warned.

Right as you turned to ask Saint what he said, a captain smacked his mask against your helm. Your head whipped back at a painful angle that made the titan hiss in sympathy, and you stumbled back a few steps. Not to be undone, you lunged back in quickly and grabbed the captain by the fur of his hood to crash your helmets together again. The captain was completely unphased.

"Aim between the eyes!" Saint called from his bubble.

You grunted out in response and held your breath. Another hit went completely unacknowledged by the eliksni.

"Tilt your-"

Another painful hit.

"No-"

Another one. This time you wheezed out a curse.

The Fallen's efforts seemed to subside slightly as they watched you bang heads with their captain. You hit him three more times before you gave up, kicking his knee in instead when you could feel the stirrings of a concussion. A quick shot to his head finally ended the encounter.

With the Walkers down and the enemy in retreat, Saint watched you take heavy, uncoordinated steps towards him with your platinum shotgun in hand. You shoved the gun slightly in his direction with a grunt, and gave him a shaky thumbs up as he took it from your hands. Then, you proceeded to fall over and die right in front of him.

Saint-14 was knelt beside you when you finally came back to with one of your hands held tightly in his grasp.

"That was _GLORIOUS!"_

You were beyond embarrassed initially, but his excitement made you snort. Suddenly, you decided that the ordeal was entirely worth your pride, especially with Saint-14 so close, and especially with his hands so comforting around yours.

"All in a day's work."


	2. Chapter 2

The first time you come home to Saint, its a pleasant surprise. You'd given him a key to your apartment early on in your relationship, but you hadn't expected to see him outside of the Hangar often. He's sitting on the couch reading through letters when you walk in.

"Hey," you say, unclasping your armor in the doorway after a long day of attempting to pay off your debt to Spider.

The titan stands quickly, greeting you with a warm smile as he meets you at the door, helping you pull away your armor like he always did.

When you're down to your undersuit, Saint ducks his head against your shoulder and takes a deep breath as he wraps his arms around you.

"Oh, wow," you breathe out a flustered laugh and tilt your head back as he nudges against your throat.

"I thought you'd be at the Hangar," you say, reaching around to rub his back.

He arches into your touch. "I wanted to be here to welcome you home."

You learned fairly early on that Saint-14 was a very affectionate man. It was jarring at first, but you figured a few hundred years of isolation would leave anyone a little touch starved. It's not like you minded much anyways.

He was always so gentle with you. It was impossible not to melt into him the second he had you in his hands, and he wasted no time scooping you up in his arms as his caresses soothed away the stress of each day. His hands are tight on your shoulder and under your knees, and he presses his face against your cheek to whisper sweetly to you.

"I have to meet with the Vanguard, Saint," you sigh, but you don't make any attempt to move as he carries you to the couch and cradles you in his lap.

Saint-14 scoffs. "The Vanguard will wait, take a moment to breathe."

"Zavala won't like that."

"I can handle Zavala." He pulls you into his chest and rests his chin on your head.

You raise a brow. "And how about Ikora?"

That makes him pause.

"...Perhaps a short break is enough for now."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a part of something bigger, hence the lack of background info. Maybe I'll actually touch up what the rest of this was meant to be, but I liked this part a lot and figured it's cute enough to stand alone. Use context clues to excuse my lack of effort.

"Saint?"

He whips his head around with a handful of ruined flowers and tries to hide them behind his back as you step onto his ship. He'd almost forgotten he asked you to meet him here. A few threads of his newly rented tuxedo snap as he turns around, and he winces at the sound, freezing in place.

"Guardian! I-"

"Are you wearing a tux?" You smile in surprise and Saint-14 looks down at his outfit like he hadn't even realized. It makes you snort. "Just...like alone? In your ship? It looks kinda small."

"Ah- Yes, I am! I wanted to-" He turns to look at the flowers. Barely any petals are left. "I am...uh."

You stare at him expectantly and Saint sighs deeply, sagging his shoulders. "Out of practice. It seems."

He's partially embarrassed when you laugh, but he can't help but perk up at the sound.

"Apparently." You step towards him and place your hands on his shoulders; he leans into your touch. "Wanna start over?"

Saint smiles and nods at you. "Please."

The titan clears his throat and straightens his back again. "Guardian, I've grown very..." He struggles to find the right word. Smitten? Enamored? Captivated?

"...Fond--of you, that is."

Your smile becomes less playful and more heartfelt as he continues.

"I cherish the time we spend together, and I often find myself wishing to spend more with you." He takes a deep breath. "Would you care to join me in the city? Tonight, perhaps?"

"I'd love to, Saint," you answer, lifting a hand from his shoulder to cup his cheek.

He leans into your palm with a relieved hum and pulls you in for a hug, rocking you gently with a small laugh.

When you pull away you lift his wrist and motion at the flowers he still has in a tight grip.

"Are these for me?"

Saint sighs. "Well, they were."

"What happened?"

"It is...a long story. I will get you new ones."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm offering no descriptions or anything with these, I'm just having fun! Goofin' and all that.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little edgier than the first three chapters, sorry 'bout that.

Nothing was greater to Saint-14 than having you come home. The nature of your job as a guardian meant you speant more time away than at the Tower, but when you return from the wilds, Saint is honored to be the first person you visit.

Sometimes, you brought gifts. Dazzling crystals from the forests of the European Dead Zone for him to adorn his ship with and fine lavender ribbons from the Dreaming City for him to decorate his weapons.

Sometimes, you brought stories. Tales of the grand enemies of humanity you battle against daily. Each one left Saint mesmerized and proud, and he wished he could fight right by your side; wished he could witness the glory of your light again, but you're adamant that his time in the forest warranted a vacation, and he loves you too dearly to argue against your own wishes.

Sometimes, it's enough for him that you come home at all. On those days, you'd kneel before Saint like you meant to beg for forgiveness, and he'd lift you in his arms before you could attempt any kind of confession.

You'd shake your head, and hide your face in his chest those days, desperate to escape whatever violence or tragedy haunted you. Those were the days he knew he'd do anything for you. Saint would never dream of calling you his, you were much too powerful to be claimed, but sometimes he wished he could hide you away from the cruelty of the universe, even if he knew you were more than capable of facing it. It's the reason you left the Tower at all, and the reason Saint had grown completely and utterly enamored with you.

After all the fighting, after all the glory, after all the heartbreak the universe had to offer, you still came home to him. And nothing would ever compare to your presence.


	5. Chapter 5

It's the first time Saint's been out of the Tower since he first arrived, he was bound to get a little overexcited. After weeks of begging and bargaining, you finally let him join you in the EDZ to get reacquainted with the locals. He wiped out three lost sectors, downed a glimmer drill, and destroyed a resupplying servitor with you in a matter of just two hours. 

"FANTASTIC!" Saint bellows as the final Captain of a lost sector collapses, and without thinking, he leans in to bump his helmet against yours. It's harder than he anticipates and you bend backwards with a hiss. You hadn't been expecting it either.

"Ow! Saint!" You hold your head in your hands and Saint gasps as he ghosts his hands over the sides of your helmet.

"Ah! I did not mean to hit so hard!"

"What was that!"

"It was meant to be affectionate!"

You shake your head. "How is headbutting someone affectionate?"

Saint holds your head in his hands and focuses a chill of void into his palms, enough for you to feel the cooling effect.

"Better?"

You lean your head against one of his hands with a hum. "Moderately."

The titan leans in slower this time, but you still hold him away with a stiff arm.

"Nu uh."

Saint sighs. "Alright, understandable."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again with the cheesy tenderness!!!!!!

Everything about you amazed Saint-14. You'd become a symbol of strength and resilience; dubbed a legend in a matter of just five years. It was an honor to watch you fight, but it was something else entirely to witness you alone.

In the privacy of your apartment, you ran your hands over him so gently, as if he was something small and delicate instead of a legendary titan who'd fought for lifetimes. It never offended him. After fighting so long to protect others, it was almost overwhelming to feel so protected by you.

On difficult days, you'd trace the edges of his face plates with your fingers and cradle his head in your lap, murmuring affirmations to him when he shook from fear or grief. You'd trail kisses up his neck and tangle your fingers with his, stroking your thumbs over the back of his battle-worn fists. Every move you made was soft and loving. Gentle and adoring. Sometimes it made him shudder.

This is where Saint could shed the title of defender and become the defended; in the arms of his savior; in the presence of his lover.

"I adore you." Saint sighs as you straddle his thighs and press kisses to each of his cheeks, his forehead, and then lets out another breath as you move down to ghost your lips over his throat.

"Is that so?" Your tone is playful, but he continues.

"You are..." He can barely find the words, much more focused on tilting his head back as you nose against his neck and rub your hands down his sides.

"A blessing from the Traveler itself." His hands start to wander over you in return. "Powerful, full of the purest light I have ever felt. Beautiful inside and out."

He can feel your hands twitch against him. It's his turn to press his face against your neck as you move away to look at him.

"Sexy." He adds on, laughing when you flick the side of his head in response.

"You're a hopeless romantic," you say.

"For you? How could I not be."

There's a whirring in his chest you can feel against yours, and you're surprised to feel hints of void light bloom from his finger tips. You channel solar light into your palms and rest them against his cheek. He groans and leans his forehead against yours.

"I love you."

Saint can't help but shiver. It's not the first time you've said it--although, Saint made sure to catalog that moment deep in his memory--but he doubts he'll ever get over the overwhelming feeling of adoration he felt each time you whispered it to him. He wishes he could sit here forever, with you in his lap as you shower him in affection that he can barely keep up with. You're irresistible to him in every way possible.

"My heart is yours, guardian."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Folks I would really appreciate suggestions, literally anything and everything, cause my brain has been completely empty.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst, as requested! I didn't really put any detail into it, but this does mention death so fair warning.

Saint's the one to carry them home, wrapped in cloth and limp in his grip. You wouldn't look at the body; you wouldn't look anywhere but your feet. He passes them over to a nurse who sends them both a weary look before announcing the time of death. You furrow your brow and swallow loudly knowing it was nowhere near the true time of death, but you say nothing.

The mission debriefing is short with Saint explaining the brunt of it.

"Any casualties?" Zavala asks.

Saint is quiet. You answer instead.

"One." 

Zavala nods. "Your objective was met, we can discuss the reports later. Dismissed."

You're up from your seat quickly. Saint lingers in the room with the Vanguard for a moment, watching you walk away briskly with your head hung low and your hands balled into fists. He follows soon enough.

Your apartment is still dark when he steps in, but he can see your armor trailing down the hallway, tossed away haphazardly. He picks up what pieces he can and sets them down by the door, taking his own armor off quietly before walking towards the bedroom. 

You try to look busy, staring down blankly at your tablet in bed with your legs crossed and your jaw clenched.

Saint sighs. "Guardian-"

"I don't wanna talk about it." You shut him down.

"Bottling it up will not help, please-"

"Leave it alone, Saint." Your voice raises only slightly, but the regret is immediate.

You keep going, against your better judgement, waving your arm in the air dismissively. "It's done, okay? There's nothing left to be said. They're gone and that's it--and it's my fault." You curse when your voice cracks. "It's my fault."

Saint moves in to hold you when you curl in on yourself with a sudden sob. Five years as a guardian and you still found death hard to accept. You cared so deeply, with so much heart and so much devotion to the people of the City. It was your greatest strength, and your greatest weakness. Saint felt the same way.

"We did everything we could, this does not fall on your shoulders alone, guardian."

You're inconsolable, hiding your head in your knees and shaking your head in denial. "It's my fault. They reached out for me, Saint. They looked so scared. I was supposed to help, it's my job, it's my whole life! I wasn't quick enough; I wasn't quick enough and they died because of it. It's all my fault. I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize, not to me, not to anyone; not for this." Saint pulls you into his lap and lets you sob into his shoulder. You push him away at first, and he's ready to let you go, but when he starts to slip you off his lap, you grasp onto the front of his shirt tighter and curl into him further.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say, I'm so sorry." Your voice is hoarse.

"Hush." Saint rocks you gently as you allow yourself to cry. "You tried, you said so yourself. It is painful to acknowledge, but we cannot save them all, guardian. We are not perfect, and there are things simply out of our control."

You bite on your fist and groan out something pained and miserable. Your throat feels ragged, and you can barely breathe beyond short, sharp breaths. It makes Saint worried.

"Breathe, guardian." Saint shifts you so your head rests against his, plucking your hand away from your teeth to place on his chest. He takes a deep breath and waits for you to follow suit.

With your eyes screwed shut, you focus everything you can into the feeling of Saint's chest rising and falling slowly. It takes you a few minutes to regulate your own breathing, but the two of you are quickly in tandem.

"Good." Saint lifts your hand away from his chest and pulls it to his mouth in lieu of a kiss.

You whimper lowly. Exhaustion takes hold of you so suddenly. Your whole body aches, and you can barely keep your head up against Saint's. He notices quickly, and lifts you off the bed to carry you into the bathroom.

You let him set you down on the counter and drop your head against his shoulder as he reaches for a hand towel. He switches the faucet on to wet the cloth, then pulls you away from him to tilt your head up and wipe your face. He's gentle with handling you, rubbing gentle circles over the balls of your cheeks and down your chin. When he's finished, he ghosts his thumb over your mouth for a moment before deciding to lean in and give you another kiss.

It's brief, but you kiss back just as gentle, whining when he steps away. He lets out a small laugh and picks you up again, letting you wrap your legs around his waist as he carries you back into the bedroom. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he rubs your back as you hang your head over his shoulder with the occasional sigh.

The two of you sit quietly for a long while, distracted by each other's soft breathing.

"Saint." Your tired voice breaks the silence.

"Yes?"

You lean forward to push Saint into the bed, bracing your hands on his chest as he settles his on your hips. "Thank you."

He pulls you down fully so you can lay your head on his chest. "I am always here for you."

"I love you."

Saint smiles. "I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeez I sure do write about Saint holding guardians. Hope you all enjoy the idea of being cradled lovingly by a titan as much as I do!


	8. Chapter 8

When you arrive at Twilight Gap, you're surprised to find Saint-14 waiting for you, standing over the cliff with a perfect view of the Last City.

"You're here!" Saint takes off his helmet as you step towards him and smiles as you pull him in for a quick kiss hello.

"Hey! I thought you were sending me alone." You place your hands on his hips and admire his smile. It was always a treat to see Saint without his helmet outside of your apartment. He knew he was handsome, but you didn't mind reminding him with a few kisses.

Saint-14 waves his arms in the direction of the old buildings. "I thought it would be quicker if I came to help. We have not had much time with each other either."

"Aw, you missed me?"

He ducks his head down a bit. "Maybe a little."

You pat his cheek with a smile and turn to search for any remaining frames. Picking through the nooks and crannies of Twilight Gap is a greater task than you expected. It's nice to have Saint's company though. You like to hear about the people he's met in the City, and it always made you a little flustered when you could amaze him with stories from outside the walls. There's a slight lull between you two as you search, but Saint breaks the silent quickly.

"Ah! Guardian, over here!"

You turn around to see what he's found when a snowball suddenly strikes your chest dead on. You gasp and almost slip backwards on the concrete.

Saint burts out into a fit of laughter as you wipe the snow off your armor.

"Saint!" You glare at him and shiver when you can feel bits of snow seep into the crevices of your armor.

He barely gives you a chance to dodge before he's throwing another. "What? This is practice! A private Crucible match!" 

The third snowball misses you and breaks against a support beam. You bolt down the hallway on your right as he bends down to pack another, his faceplates shaped in a wide grin.

"Do not run from me, little bird!" He laughs as he chases after you with a snowball in each hand.

You don't answer him, sprinting around a corner and hopping up to the second story before he can see your escape route.

His voice is teasing as he takes loud steps below you. "You cannot hide forever! Come out, my love!" He coos out the pet name lovingly and lets out a dark chuckles.

Moving slowly, you crawl across the concrete back outside to the train tracks, taking cover in a hollowed out shipping container when you think you can hear his boots crunching in the snow. The sound fades away and you take a deep, quiet breath, packing as many snowballs as you can before peaking around the corner of the bin. He's nowhere in sight. You make another mad dash back inside, stomping your feet loud enough that the icicles stuck to the bottom of the second floor snap into the snow. You need him to follow.

Subtlety isn't Saint's forte, and he makes himself obvious as he runs up to the second floor, snowballs ready for launch. He widens his stance when he finds the room he'd heard you in empty.

"Where are you, dearest?" He whistles as if calling a dog and you roll your eyes from where you're hidden.

He's still standing in the doorway, if he'd just move a bit further...

The minute he steps into the room you fling a snowball at him from the rafters as hard as you can. Saint yelps when it strikes him, dropping one of the snowballs in his hand as he whips his head around to find you, flinging snow from his head.

You can't help but laugh. Saint turns his head up and squints at you, winding his arm back to hit you right back. You don't give him a chance though, throwing another one directly at his face once you can see it. He sputters and falls back onto the floor.

When he clears the snow out of his eyes, you're standing over him with a pile of snowballs cradled in your arm.

"Any last words?" You ask gravely.

Saint gives you a serious look. "Betrayed by my own love. You've wounded me beyond compare."

"Wrong answer."

"How can my last words be wrong? That does not-" He's pelted by a flurry of snowballs before he can finish, raising his arm in a futile attempt to block some of them.

His undersuit is soaked from what snow leaks through the crevices of his armor and melts, but your laugh is too heavenly for him to care. When you're finally finished with the pile of snowballs you lean over him to rest your forehead on his, ignoring the chill of his metal skin.

"Did I win?"

Saint huffs. "Maybe this time. Do not expect me to go so easy on you next time!"

You offer a hand to Saint and lift him up with a groan, brushing snow off his shoulders. He holds you by your elbows when you bring your hands down and presses a kiss to your cheek.

"I'm glad you came."

Saint hums. "I am too."


	9. Chapter 9

The Moon has always been unforgiving to guardians, but when you came back from Moon patrols, Saint was certain Luna had something against you specifically. Every time you were stationed there, you'd let out a loud sigh that Saint-14 would respond to with a doting hum of sympathy. He'd help you fasten your armor, pressing kisses to your collar bones, wrists, and your forehead before you slipped on your helmet. It was a given your armor would take a beating, but your recent expedition had been especially cruel. Hence your disappointed face while you recuperate in his ship.

You pout staring down at the remains of your favorite gauntlet, dented with bullet holes and shattered along the portion shielding your bicep.

"Finally out of commission, huh?" You sigh to the gauntlet, then look up at Saint-14. "I don't know how you and Shaxx manage to keep your armor in one piece after all this time."

"Dark Age armor was built differently, perhaps." He knocks on his chest plate with a laugh, but halts for a moment as you ask your Ghost to dismantle the ruined gear.

"You are dismantling it?"

You turn to him confused. "I guess. I already ruined it a couple hours ago, I don't really think Banshee or Arcite can save this piece anyways."

"May I have it?"

"You want it?" You ask.

"I'm certain I will find a use for it," Saint says.

You give him a suspicious look, but hand him the gauntlet regardless. He holds it in both hands like it's something precious, and then, he keeps his word.

It becomes something of a personal project for him. On your patrol days, he would wander into the City for supplies, visiting Banshee-44 for whatever wasn't readily available by civilian vendors. You caught glimpses of his progress periodically, but you didn't know the extent of his efforts. Buffing out dents, applying fresh coats of paint, mending the frayed fingertips of the kevlar glove underneath the metal. It kept his hands busy when he grew restless in the Tower. And it reminded him of you. Made him feel special that you left something so dear to you in his care.

When he's finished, he crafts the gauntlet it's own display, laying it across a smooth plank of wood with a metal stand to hold the piece up. He leaves it on his desk to admire while you're away in the EDZ for three weeks, leaving his post to check on it periodically, as if he's afraid something will happen behind his own back. It's dusted, shined, and pampered with the same amount of love Saint pampers you. 

The day you come home, Saint lets you invite yourself into his ship as he tells a war story to a crowd of mesmerized guardians. It was always so clean, he put so much care into his ship, and insisted you needed to treat yours with the same amount of consideration.

Saint joins you in the ship soon after, laughing as he recalls his own story and peaks around in search of you. His smile is so bright and excited when he finds you, it makes you laugh too.

"I missed that sound." He steps towards you and picks you up effortlessly, as if you're a feather light doll instead of a guardian weighed down by pounds of armor.

"I missed you too, you big sap," you say, bracing your hands on his shoulders.

"I cannot help but adore you! You've captured my heart like no other, I would move mountains for you!" He spins you around and rubs his face into your chest as you give him a startled laugh. You stroke the back of his neck and look up around the room, squinting at his workbench.

You push on his arms for him to let you down. "Wait."

"Hm?" Saint lets you down and turns to watch you as you step past him and towards his desk, humming as you finally approach his project.

You barely trace a finger over the restored piece, like you're afraid to sully the artistry.

"Is this my gauntlet?" You almost can't believe it.

The cracks are filled with a silver that glints in the light above his desk. It looks and smells like he polished it just recently, and knowing he upkept it so regularly made you feel so strangely flattered.

Saint clasps his hands in front of him cutely, giving you a nervous chuckle. "Ah, yes! I was not able to restore it for use though, forgive me."

"No, no that's fine, I just..." Your voice lowers. "You kept it?"

Saint smiles and crosses the room to take your hands in his. "I cherish it."

"I...thank you," you say with a blush, not entirely sure if that's the right thing to say.

Saint brings one of your hands to his mouth and kisses the back of it, walking backwards toward his bed with you in tow. You straddle his thighs when the back of his legs hit the side of the bed, pressing your hands against his chest.

"Thank _you,"_ he speaks quietly into the junction of your collar bone, savoring the little shiver he earns from you as he traces his hand up your spine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a simple man. I see Saint-14, I want to sit in his lap.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this probably has a lot of mistakes, but I've been in a writing rut and I just wanna be able to call this done.

The sands are yellow under the Mercurian sun, and the horizon is a magnificent blend of warm colors. The Sundial breaks through the scenery in a magnificent bronze, and you find yourself lost in all the views often. Mercury is inarguably beautiful, but you'd been here far longer than you planned or cared for under Osiris' orders at this point.

"I've been running through timelines for three days! I was supposed to be home last weekend, how many of these timelines are left?" You cross your arms at Osiris as he plays with his little cubes.

"Hundreds, and more continue to materialize with each day. The Cabal are nowhere near finished with their rampage, meaning we are nowhere near finished with our own work. Saint-14 can wait." He clasps the cubes in his hands to regard you directly.

"Clearly, considering he's still waiting for you to visit."

Osiris glares at you and you throw your hands up in mock surrender.

"Okay, okay, I better _clock_ back in to the Sundial then." You give Osiris a wide grin as you crack your knuckles and pull your rifle off your back. He makes a point to ignore you, but Sagira wishes you luck.

You run through twelve more timelines, thwarting the Cabal in every advance they try to make. And it's all worth it when you finally slip into your ship at the end of three long days and set coordinates for the Tower hangar.

Saint isn't standing at his post when you first arrive, but the pigeons still flock in waiting for him, so you scatter a few seeds for them before checking his ship. He's not there either though, and you smile knowing you were sure to find him at home waiting for you.

When you click the door open, you follow the sound of shuffling sheets into your room. A sudden wave of energy washes over you when you see Saint-14 smoothing down the sheets of your bed. The linen is fresh; he washed them for you.

"Hey."

Saint whips his head around to face you with a surprised grunt, and you laugh as you step towards him, pushing against his stomach to get him to sit. You've waited too long to kiss him already. You rest your palms flat on his splayed thighs and press your mouth to his, smiling when his hands shoot up to grasp your waist. He's as happy to have you home as you are to be home, but you can tell something's off, even if he's excited to return your affection. His hands are stiff, and he seems lost in thought as you kiss him.

"Is something wrong?" Your voice is soft as you move one of your hands up to hold against his chest. He's quiet for a long moment, focusing on your touch.

"You did not come home Saturday. Or Sunday. Or Monday." Saint's tone is definitely upset.

You frown. "I got caught up in cleaning up Osiris' mess. It's not like I didn't want to come back on time."

"I know, but...I was worried, guardian," he says outright, circling his thumbs over your hips idly.

You feel awful. He's not angry, he'd never be angry at you for fulfilling your duties, but you can picture what the past few days might've been like for him.

He waited eagerly for your return the first day, excited to hear of all your efforts and exploits against the Cabal, and ready to share his own experiences roaming the City; meeting friends old and new. He liked thinking about the way he knew you'd smile when he told you about the City children that hung off of him as they sang him nursery rhymes and playground shanties. He was excited for that too--your smile. Your laugh, your voice, your touch, everything Saint-14 had come to adore of you.

But you didn't come home that first night, and Saint watched night fall on the Hangar alone, absentmindedly scattering bird seed for the pigeons as he watched for your ship. 

He was still hopeful the next day. It was likely you simply got caught up in more work before you could return. A guardian's schedule could change as quickly as a single bullet could be fired, after all. You might've had younger guardians to coach through the Sundial a few more times than you anticipated, or maybe you decided to rest on Mercury instead of attempting a drowsy flight back to Earth. He _hoped_ you'd been resting. You had a bad habit of pushing yourself to exhaustion, and Saint was prepared (maybe even excited) for you to shuffle across the Hangar to his ship where he could lift you into his arms and let you rest your weary head against his shoulder.

The second day passed the same as the first, though. In an attempt to keep himself distracted, he tended to the gauntlet you'd gifted him before, but running his fingers over the platinum palm made him miss your embrace. He cradled the glove in his hands for a moment longer before gently laying it back on its display. That night when he climbed into bed, he decided to sleep on your side.

On the third day, he decided to check your apartment. Maybe you came in the night and didn't want to wake him. It wouldn't have made much sense, considering you hadn't let anything stop you from boarding his ship in the early hours of the morning to climb into bed with him before, but he was willing to entertain the thought. It was the same as it'd been before you left, even with a few dishes still left out on the table that he clicked his tongue at before washing for you. It wasn't the biggest apartment, considering there was only so much room left in the Tower, but he liked the coziness, and so did you. It was nice sitting on the couch with you as you read through reports while he researched the history the City had been through without him. It was nicer when you got bored though and pulled him towards you for a deep kiss, followed by either climbing into his lap or letting him slide into the space between your legs to loom over you. He smirked to himself with a low chuckle at the thought, wandering into your room and staring out at the terrace. The pigeons had started flocking to your windows when they found out Saint-14 had begun staying here. He stepped outside to watch the City below, sitting still as a few pigeons dared to sit in his lap and on his boots.

The front door never creaked open, and Saint-14 still had no word from you. He left a few messages periodically, but tried to avoid seeming overwhelming or too worried. You were a guardian, you could take care of yourself. Worry still creeped through him that night though, as hard as he tried to push the thoughts away as he laid in your bed.

And the day you come home, he feels like his heart could beat out of his chest when he finally hears the front door click open and you give him one of those beautiful, bright smiles he'd been dreaming about for three days. But _'what ifs'_ still plague him. What if next time you didn't come back? What if you were lost in the Corridors of Time like he'd been? What if the Cabal had erased you from time and space itself? It's hard to stop the stream of thoughts, and eventually he's faced with a daunting question he considered too often on lonely nights like the past three had been: What if he lost you?

Even with you right in front of him, right here in his hands, he can't dispel the thought.

"Hey." You tilt his chin up and feel something catch in your throat when you meet his gaze. "I'm here, okay? I'm right here." You bend down for a kiss that Saint sighs into.

He wraps his arms around your waist to pull you closer. "I know, guardian."

"Then stop pouting."

Saint grunts. "I am not pouting. I do not have lips."

"Yeah you are," you say, stroking your thumb over his mouth, pulling it aside to pinch the edge of his cheek plate. "I'm staying home these next few days."

"Osiris needs you at the Sundial, no?"

"Osiris can ask another guardian or do it himself. I'm all yours."

You can feel Saint's arms tighten around you, and he closes his eyes with another deep sigh, though there's more of a shiver through this one.

There's a question in the way he strings his fingers through the belt loops of your pants and lays his chin against your abdomen, staring up at you with eyes full of reverence.

_Mine?_

You smile, bending down to ghost your mouth over his. "Yours."

He shudders again, leaning back onto the mattress with you in tow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this probably isn't as good u__u. I've been debating starting a bigger project for Saint to challenge myself in a way, but it'd involve some research, and it'd definitely be a lot longer than the stuff I've been writing now. I don't wanna give too much details, but would a slowburn fic interest anyone?


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more suggestive 😳 so fair warning.

The sunlight has barely started to pour in through the balcony window. The sheets are warm against your bare skin, mostly due to Saint. You're thankful for your own personal heater sometimes. The clock on your bedside table reads _6:45 a.m._ You twist your head around to see Saint is still sleeping comfortably behind you, his faceplates twitching periodically as he dreams. You're content to lay in bed all day with him like this, closing your eyes again to drift off to sleep again with his arm draped over your waist.

At least until you realize you have a Vanguard meeting in fifteen minutes, and that you managed to sleep through three alarms. You shoot up to check the clock again, jolting Saint-14 awake with a confused murmur. He tries to pull you back down, tightening his grip on your waist only a little, still too lazy to switch on his optics until he hears you let out a low hiss. You pull his hand away from your hip quickly, hopping out of bed to rumage through your closet for an undersuit while Saint sits up to enjoy the view.

He squints suddenly as he watches you search, and then pulls the covers off of him to confirm his new suspicion. You're barely pulling the suit over your calves when you see him standing behind you in the mirror hanging off the closet door. His hands ghost over your thighs for a moment before he grasps them softly. He can feel you twitch and smiles as he rests his head over your shoulder. You give him an annoyed look through the mirror as he admires his work.

Small bruises litter your body, still looking fresh in the sunlight.

"Thanks a lot." Your voice holds lighthearted sarcasm as you lean back into him.

He hums as he circles the bruises with the tips of his fingers. "You're welcome."

He's quiet again as he traces his fingers over your body. They travel up from your thighs and over your hips, where he presses his thumbs into the skin lightly. You flinch slightly, and he murmurs an apology against your shoulder. From there, he glides his hands over your ribs, under your arms, and holds your bruised wrists gently. His eyes travel further up the length of the mirror, and he shudders as he gazes at your throat. He drops one hand down to your waist again, and pulls the other up to press lightly against the bruise there, where his hand had been the night before. You tilt your head back slightly to give him a better view of them, and he shudders at the sight.

"Beautiful," he murmurs against your skin.

You blush at the attention, casting your eyes downward when he meets your gaze in the mirror, his optics half lidded.

You try to change the subject, suddenly much more timid. "I'm gonna be late, Saint."

Saint sighs and gives you one more once over before letting go of you. You shimmy on the rest of the suit and Saint helps you zip up the back, kissing the back of your neck. As much as you loved having Saint help you put on your armor, you only have five minutes to make a mad dash to the Vanguard meeting room, so you opt to transmat it all on instead.

"I'll be back, okay?" You turn around to give Saint-14 a parting kiss, stopping for a second to look him up and down with an appreciative sound that makes him laugh.

"I will be here."

"Just like this?" You raise your eyebrows at him and he gives you a wide grin.

"Just like this."


	12. Chapter 12

It was great to relax in your apartment when you weren't off cleaning up messes across the solar system, and it was even better when Saint was here to enjoy relaxing with you, but today was nowhere near as peaceful as you wanted.

This afternoon, you darted all around your apartment, picking up after yourself and wiping down every surface in sight. You mumbled your to-do list to you over and over, making sure not to forget anything that still needed to be done. You're cleaning as fast as you can, jumping when you hear the oven ding. You bolt towards the kitchen to pull the tray of cookies out, and your Ghost groans at you when you burn your hands in your hurry. They heal them up quickly and you give them a quick kiss as a thank you, rummaging through your cabinets for a dish to put the cookies on.

Sliding the cookies onto the living room table, you run over to the closet to pull out your vacuum, plugging it into the wall beside you and starting to run it back and forth over the carpet. It's important that everything look spotless for today. You needed the place to look as good as it possibly could for Saint that day.

He hadn't been in the apartment for a while, but some of his belongings had already started migrating from his humble abode to yours. It's not like you minded, it was quit the opposite, in fact. You figured it was time to make things more official, if not a little less tedious.

He's seen the apartment messy before (probably more times than he could count on one hand by now), but you do your best to tidy up before inviting him over. As mundane as it is, you're nervous the whole time as you push your boots into a nearby closet and vacuum down the hall. Maybe you weren't the best at cleaning, but you could get it done. Kinda.

"Is this really that big a deal?" Your ghost sighs as you wrestle with the vacuum wire.

You huff at them. "What, I'm not allowed to clean my apartment?"

"You're putting a lot of effort into this. Relax! What's he gonna do, say no?"

You stop for a second with the vacuum buzzing beside you and your Ghost groans at how contemplative you look.

"He won't!" They knock themselves against your head lightly and you send them a glare with your tongue stuck out.

Before you can retort, there's three knocks at the door and you gasp with a wide smile. Your Ghost transmats the vacuum away and you whisper a small _thank you_ at them, heading over to open the door.

Saint-14 smiles when he sees you, beckoning for Geppetto to fly in when your Ghost greets her. They zoom past you two quickly, and you smile at Saint.

You're surprised he already has his helmet tucked under his arm, but you take advantage of it and give him a quick kiss hello. He returns it earnestly, and you kick the door wider behind you so he can actually fit his pauldrons through the doorway. You think it's cute how he has to turn slightly to fit through, one shoulder in before the other, and you can't help but chuckle.

"Ever think about getting a smaller set of shoulder pads?"

Saint scoffs at you. "Do I look like a warlock to you?"

You laugh harder, and once he's fully in, you help him unlatch his pauldrons along with the rest of his armor. It was a strangely intimate ritual the two of you had developed. Your Ghosts were fully capable of transmatting all your armor on and off at a moment's notice, yes, but it was special having someone else's help somehow. Maybe it was how tenderly you each handled the other's gear, or maybe it was the idea of surrendering your defenses to each other like that. It must've been trust of some sort, but you don't take time to dwell on it very long. You enjoy it, and so long as Saint enjoys it, you'll help him undress every chance you get. Besides, it made it much easier to press chaste kisses all over him, paying close attention to hover your lips over the tubing running up the side of his neck just to feel him twitch.

When you're finished, he holds you close to give you a thankful kiss. "How was the Tangled Shore?"

You roll your eyes with a groan that Saint grins at. He already knows what your answer is going to be.

"Awful, but I don't feel like reliving the experience right now." You wave the thought away with your hand, then pat Saint's cheek as you point over your shoulder to the living room. "Go sit! I'll complain all about it later to you, if you want."

"I look forward to it." He lets you lead him into the living room where you have a small plate of cookies laid out. They're his favorites, lavender ribbon cookies. When you learned what his favorite flavor was, he noticed a sharp increase in how often you baked, and the recipes you baked. He plucks one off the plate and hums softly at the flavor. They aren't lying when they say you can taste the love in certain foods, and Saint knows this for a fact now. He watches a tense Crucible match on the T.V. as he snacks, finally relaxing alone after having spent all day giving out bounties to young, inspired guardians.

You're gone for a few minutes, and he considers going to find you, but he stays where you told him to until he hears you shuffle up behind him.

"I got something for you." You bend over the back of the couch to cup your hands over Saint's eyes.

"A gift? For me?" Saint smiles as you kiss the back of his neck.

"Yep, no peaking."

"Alright, alright," Saint sighs and covers his eyes with his own hands when yours slip away.

You tell him to cup his hands in front of him, and he does with a nod. There's some quiet jingling behind him, and he can sense something being lowered in front of his eyes. You drop the gift into his hands gently. It's small, but heavier than he expected. There's a slightly cool feeling, like cold metal.

"Okay, open!"

Saint stares down at his cupped hands. "What is...?"

"It's a key to the apartment!" You exclaim.

He plucks the key ring out of his palm carefully, and watches the chain dangle in front of him curiously. The key itself is a simple brass key, hanging from a silver ring with a keychain beside it. He runs his finger down the keychain to hold up the charm on the end.

You smile when he notices it. "It's a pigeon! Do you like it? When I went to get the key copied they had a bunch of cute ones like it, and I thought of you! I wanted to name it, but Ghost said you should. I think Geppetto Jr. has a certain ring to it, personally."

Geppetto turns to you silently from where she's chatting with your Ghost. For someone so docile (and for someone with no real face) she sends a clear message in the way she stares at you. You throw your hands up in surrender, mouthing _'sorry!'_ at the Ghost before turning back to Saint.

He's been quiet for a long time now, studying the key intently. It's starting to make you nervous. Maybe this was too much. Maybe you should've waited longer, maybe he wanted to move slower. You silently curse yourself as your mouth goes dry.

"Do...do you like it?" You fiddle with your thumbs as he looks it over for what feels like the hundredth time. Quietly, he starts to chuckle, until it becomes a full belly laugh that catches you offguard.

"I love it!" He shoots up from the couch and pulls you over the back of it to hug you close, laughing at the way you squeak and wrap your legs around his waist when you slip over.

You laugh with him. "Good. I was tired of having to let you into our apartment."

Saint stops again and looks up at you with his mouth slightly ajar. You look down at him confused, and the nervousness from before creeps back up at his sudden stillness.

_"Our_ apartment?"

You blush. You hadn't even noticed what you said. His tone is much more serious, and you're not sure how to read it.

"Yeah, is...is that okay?" Your voice is suddenly very quiet compared to before, he can feel your heart beating quickly against his chest and laughs.

"That is perfect." He shifts his hands to hook under your thighs and presses his forehead against yours with a soft sigh. "Ours."

You run your fingers down his neck and tilt your head down to rest against his shoulder, rubbing his back in relief. Ghost was right, you're not sure what you were even worried about before. Saint was too sweet for this to have gone wrong.

"That means you have to wash dishes now," you quip playfully.

Saint scoffs. "As if I do not do that already."

"Not true!"

"Guardian, I adore you, and you are fantastic at killing things three times your size, but you are terrible at cleaning up after yourself."

"I can take my key back if that's how you feel!" You bonk your forehehead against Saint's playfully and he chuckles again as he carries you into the bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't really been doing requests I kinda just write as things strike me, but I really really appreciate everyone who's left suggestions, thanks for reading all my self indulgent nonsense 💕 Check out my other Saint fic, Movement, too maybe!


	13. Chapter 13

The Dawning is still in full swing, and as much fun as Saint is having attempting to find space in his ship for the boxes upon boxes of cookies he'd been gifted, you decided a walk through the City would be good for the both of you. That night, you lean against one of the support beams holding up the Gray Pigeon and Saint nods at you as he wipes some bird seed off his gloves.

"Anything you need, my love?"

"I just came to drop off some cookies--"

Saint cuts you off with a heavy sigh that makes you break out into a laugh.

"The attention is flattering, but I am up to my neck in cookies! I can only eat so fast!"

You grin. "I'm sure the pigeons would be thankful for a bite."

"The sugar would make them sick, I would not hurt my birds like that." He turns his down to the pigeons still lingering by his ship. "As much as they would _like_ to steal my cookies. They are craftier than Dark Age pigeons."

You pull him away from his post with a small laugh. "Let's go down to the City."

"Now?"

"Why not? The market place is beautiful during the Dawning. I know you've been down their during the day, but it's something else entirely at night."

He chuckles. "Very well then." He offers you an elbow and nods at you when you wrap your arm in his. "Lead the way, dear."

It's cold in the City with the snow still lightly falling. You take him down the back streets on the way to the market place, showing him the small things in the City many guardians miss when they walk down the main streets once in a blue moon. He likes being where the people are, but he's excited to learn about every inch of the City regardless. You can't see his smile, but he sighs and chuckles so often you can imagine how awed and happy he must be. He lingers on everything around him, trying to commit every facet of his home to memory.

When you're done exploring the roads less traveled, you pull him back into the main square where he gawks at the sky above. The view of the lanterns lit up from the tower was beautiful, but it was something else entirely seeing the people of the Last City lighting the lanterns themselves. They would light each lantern carefully, some whispering thanks against the canvas, and others going as far as to press a kiss against their lanterns before lifting them into the sky. They all looked so happy, so much more hopeful than the citizens of the Dark Age. It was beautiful. And Saint felt like he might've gotten choked up at the sight if you weren't there next to him.

You walk through the market square hand in hand with Saint, telling him all about the shops and vendors lining the streets, until something tugs on one of the accolades hanging from his waist. He falters when he feels the pull, and you stop to look down beside him.

It's a little girl, no older than six. She shakes a little in the cold, and you can see that her eyes are red and puffy along with her nose. She must've been crying judging by the little hiccups and sniffles.

Saint kneels down to her level immediately with you leaning over to watch the little girl in worry.

"Is something wrong, little one?" Saint extends a hand to her, and she wraps her small fingers around Saint's thumb.

She hiccups. "I'm lost."

You look up to scan over the sea of people crowding the streets, trying to see if there's anyone around looking for the girl. Saint hums gravely below you.

"Were you with your parents?" You ask.

The little girl nods, and your heart aches when you see her shiver. You slide your coat off your shoulders and kneel down beside Saint to wrap it around her. She mumbles a small _'thank you'_ as you and Saint dote over her.

You rub her arm in an attempt to warm her up. You're hesitant to use any solar light, not fully sure how much to gauge the heat. She pulls the coat around her tighter, and Saint hums in thought for a moment.

"Would you like us to help look for them, little one? What is your name? Do you know your parents'?"

She mumbles a small please and leans in close to give Saint her name. Talking to strangers like this wasn't the safest course of action under normal circumstances, but you were guardians, and this little girl trusted you specifically because of that.

Saint nods after repeating all their name and lifts the little girl up into his arms, hoisting her onto his shoulders for her to look around the market place. She latches onto the mohawk of Saint's helmet, even though Saint promises he won't let her fall.

His voice booms throughout the streets as he calls for her parents along with you, the little girl herself occasionally calling out for them with the two of you. Saint holds tightly onto her ankles to keep her balanced, spinning around a few times when he manages to make her giggle despite her tears.

It doesn't take long for the two of you to find the girl's parents, they probably would've heard Saint if they were all the way across the city. Two women rush up to you and Saint, calling for their daughter. Saint turns around to look at them and the little girl's face brightens up immediately.

She pats the side of Saint's helm excitedly, kicking her feet as she points down at her mothers. Saint plucks her off his shoulders and hands her over to one of the women who hugs the girl closely.

"Don't run off like that again, baby," the woman says. She sounds relieved, but worry still lingers in her voice.

The other woman pulls your coat away from around the girl's shoulders to hand back to you and you thank her warmly.

"Thank you, the both of you," she sighs.

Saint nods his head at her. "We are happy to help." He steps forward to pet the girl's head lightly. "Be careful, little one. Your mothers love you very much."

"And if you ever get lost again, look for a guardian," you say. "We're here to keep you safe."

The little girl nods in understanding and thanks you both one last time before tucking her head into her mother's shoulder.

As the two of them walk away with their daughter, Saint turns to you and presents his elbow to you again. You take it with a smile, and lean your head against his shoulder as you walk back home.

When you're home, you let him peel off your armor, and you do your best to help him out of his, but you're so tired the second you step through the door that you only manage to help him remove his chest plate before he decides to transmat the rest away with a laugh. He carries you into the bedroom and lays you gently on the bed before turning away to change.

You watch Saint zip off his undersuit and slip into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He pulls a pair of shorts and another one of his shirts you'd stolen from him to hand to you. You admire the way his back moves, the plates shifting and exposing the artificial muscles underneath. He's still huge even out of his armor. When he turns to find you admiring him, he smiles at you.

"What is that look for?"

You give him a sleepy grin. "Just looking."

"You can do more than look," Saint says, walking away from the closet to kneel in front of you.

He unzips the front of your undersuit and helps you shimmy out if it, pressing a kiss to your thigh when he helps you slip on the shorts, and another to your chest before he pull the shirt over your head.

You sigh, lost in thought for a moment as he stares up at you with those bright purple eyes. Your hand reaches out to cup his jaw, rubbing your thumb over his cheek and turning his head to each side gently. Your next question startles him slightly.

"You ever think about having kids, Saint?" You ask quietly.

He contemplates your question for a moment. "Often." His hand moves up to pull your wrist gently, bringing it to his mouth for a kiss before moving your palm down to his chest where his heart would be. "But our duties do not easily allow for that life. I believe family is more than blood or legal papers, though. My father, my brothers, and sisters, and siblings; I found and fought for my family. The City is my family, and it's children are my children as well."

You hum. "I guess you're right." You sit up straight to look down at him better, your voice quiet again. "They're our kids."

That makes him tense for a second, his eyes full of adoration. You beckon him closer and he stands between your legs, hooking his arms under yours to rub your back. You didn't think it had to be said before. Of course you and Saint were family, you were in love. But that seems to do something to Saint, and you whisper softly to him again.

"You're my family, Saint. The City is _our_ family."

He shudders slightly, hiding his face in your chest as his hands latch onto the back of your shirt.

"As are you. I love you. I love our home." He nudges you backwards onto the bed and holds himself over you to kiss you fully, mumbling against your lips. "I love our family."


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somethin' silly and slightly ooc just cause I feel bad not updating. This is based off one of Saint's old bounties where he mentioned wanting to catch a Nessus bird.

You have no idea how Saint managed to make this sound romantic before. Maybe he hadn't at all, and you just had the worst case of rose tinted glasses under the Traveler. It doesn't really matter now, because here you are on Nessus with Saint for what he described as "bird watching." And here you were sitting on his shoulders trying to catch some weird bats for him.

"Careful..." Saint whispers, holding you steady on his shoulders as you turn the net in your grip.

"You be careful! This was your idea!" You hiss.

The bird--bat?--whatever--flicks it's head to the side when it hears you, it's wings slightly raised should it need to fly away. You hold your breath as it watches you with an unblinking eye.

"I think it's trying to intimidate me," you whisper.

"Do not let it get to you! Birds can smell fear."

The two of you are locked in a staring contest for a long while. It can't even see your face through your helmet, but you swear you can feel that bird staring right through you. You raise the net above your head slowly, and then, in one fell swoop, bring it down on the bird.

It hops to the side effortlessly, dodging the net and ruffling it's wings again. In a sudden and unexpected motion, it's wings shoot up fully, and it jumps away from the branch.

You swing the net wildly over head as the bird takes flight. Saint's grip on your ankles falters and you flail in an attempt to keep your balance. It's an embarrassingly self nade commotion for two guardians, but it's the least fo your worries. While you thrash about, and Saint-14 tries to compensate for your thrashing, there's a crackling in the trees again. The two of you pause, squinting at the shrubs.

Every branch seems to stir, and with a closer look, you realize something utterly terrifying.

The bird wasn't alone.

"Oh shi--"

A flight of birds dives out of the vines and swarms the two of you before you can finish. You throw the net away and yell as you try to swat them away. It rolls behind Saint, and trips him when he tries to back away from the tree. You're practically flung from his shoulders, rolling down the hill you've ventured up and smacking into what feels like every rock possible on the way down. Saint tumbles after you with his own yell, sliding head first down after you. The birds, ruthless as they are, follow suit.

A tree root breaks your fall and you groan as you try to stand, immediately getting knocked down by Saint when he lands. You groan again, clawing at the ground futilely in an attempt to crawl out from the dazed titan. The flock starts to close in on you again.

You smack Saint's shoulder. "Get up! Get up!"

Saint shakes his head and grunts, looking up just in time to see the huge colony on a war path, blocking out the sun. He shouts, standing quickly and throwing you over his shoulder without a second thought. Summoning a shield of void to hold above your heads, he runs for the Exodus Black.

"I choose the next date!" You cry out, jostling as he sprints.

"Agreed!"


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't uploaded in a while! Time really flies when you're thinking about Saint-14 24/7, doesn't it? Thank you for your patience, and thank you for all your kindness! Xoxo

It's pleasant to be alone with him here. For a while, you figured it'd be too dangerous to bring Saint to the Dreaming City. The curse was fragile, and Saint's presence alone had the chance of disrupting the balance the Guardians worked endlessly to maintain every week, but Petra had given her blessing, so long as the visit was brief, and so long as the two of you avoided combat. Saint had smiled so brightly at the news. Finally, he could see the city you'd told him tales of for months.

On arrival, Saint cuts through the mist with a hand, staring up in wonder at the towers peaking high into the sky. He lets out a laugh of disbelief, immediately enamored with the view, even with the Taken blight that ate away at the once great city. The sound of a sparrow revving pulls him from his trance, and he turns to see you ready to ride.

"C'mon, let me show you my favorite spot," you say.

Saint nods at you, and you scoot forward to let him hop onto the back of your sparrow. He might've had his own sparrow, but he liked being able to wrap his arms around your waist instead, and he could focus more intently on the sights around the two of you instead of steering like this.

You take him down the quieter routes of the city, avoiding as many enemies as you could, and speeding away from any that came close to catching you two. Maneuvering in the Dreaming City was easy for you by now. You knew its secrets at this point, and all the best views as a result.

The ride is relatively peaceful, and you drift to a stop at a cave entrance far into the tangled maze of the city. It's small, and dark, but it's only a small stop to your true destination.

You hop off your sparrow and extend a helping hand to Saint, giving him a mocking bow when he daintily places his hand in yours, stepping off the sparrow with an air of superiority. He laughs with a tiny snort, and you grin at the sound before taking his hand in yours again to lead him forward.

The cave doesn't have much to show for itself, but in the depths of the darkness, a portal floats invitingly in front of you. You step through without hesitation, but Saint lingers for a second, letting your hand go as you fade away. He stands nervously for a moment, until you peak your head back though the portal with a small tilt.

"I promise it won't kill you. Maybe," you say.

Saint huffs. "Not even a guarantee?"

"Hey, I may know my way around now, but this place isn't exactly stable. You'll be fine!" You reach your hand through for him, and this time Saint steps in after you.

The change in scenery disorients him for a moment, but after a quick shiver, he falls back into the state of awe he'd been stuck in since you landed.

It's another cave, but bigger than the last, and almost comparable to an undercroft with a view overlooking the distant city below. The walls are decorated in crystal shards, all in brilliant blue and lavender hues. He recognizes it now from your stories, and he decides quickly that it's even more gorgeous than you'd originally described.

Saint steps forward with an amazed hum, standing at the edge of the cliff, looking into the Horizon with an appreciation he isn't able to describe. You've seen this view a hundred times now, and while it never ceased to amaze you, you were much more focused on Saint now.

He looked like he belonged here. Cascaded in blue light with his armor glimmering under the crystals lining the cave. Like he was truly royalty.

The Awoken Queen might've had you persecuted for comparing a Guardian to royalty in her own stronghold, but it was true, and the Queen wasn't here anyways. Saint looked regal, adorned with his lavender accolades and standing proudly over the Dreaming City. The sight of him made your heart flutter.

The simple fact that you had left him so awed, bringing him somewhere so dear to you, made your heart flutter.

Saint-14 alone, in all his kindness; in all his strength; in all his glory, made your heart flutter.

You're pulled out of your daze when Saint lets out a cheerful laugh, bringing his fingers to his helmet release as he turns to you.

"It's safe to remove our helmets, yes?" 

You nod. "You'd be fine either way, wouldn't you?"

"I ask for your sake more than my own. Come." He beckons for you with an open palm, pulling you in with only a gesture.

You're before him in only a few quick strides, releasing the latch on your helmet without a bit of hesitation. The air is fresh, smelling faintly of rain from the fog that clings to the ground. A slight chill bites at your cheeks and the tips of your ears, only a sliver of cold without the Sun above you. You note how much brighter the crystals shine without your visor, and how much brighter Saint himself feels. Like his light had perked up the moment you slipped off your helmet.

Gently, he strokes the back of his fingers down your cheek, and speaks in a low, rumbling whisper.

"You look as if you belong here."

You smile, snort, and then break out into a full ditzy laugh, embarassed and endeared all at once. Saint tilts his head with a confused sound.

"What?"

"Nothing! It's just..." You reach out to cup his face with a wide smile. "I was thinking the exact same thing about you."

You bring him in for a kiss, and the city suddenly feels a little more magical.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiii it's been a little while! The past month has been hectic, but I'm starting a huge new chapter in my life, and all the positivity I've gotten from you guys has been such a huge motivator! Enjoy!

Mercury is blazing hot when you land at the Lighthouse, but you're too excited to care as you hop down from transmat with your fireteam yelling and dancing behind you. It was a stressful, and sometimes even bleak, journey to the Lighthouse, but after two failed cards and a tie breaker, your fireteam finally made it. You laugh and jump and dance along with them up the stairs, and at the top of the Lighthouse stands Saint, a beacon of Light in his own right. Your group's enthusiasm is contagious, and Saint lets out a joyful laugh as you approach. 

He opens his arms to you in welcome, and you can barely fight off the urge to jump right into them with your fireteam here.

"Welcome to the Lighthouse!" Saint bellows, his voice warm and proud. "You've proven you are more than ready to lead, and just as ready to be led. Your spoils await, I hope to see you here again soon." He pats the chest beside him, inviting you to step forward and claim your loot.

The other two are quick to raid the chest of armor and weapons, but you head straight for Saint. Like a moth led to light. He bows his head at you with a chuckle, and you wish you could see the smile you're sure is behind his helmet. You move from foot to foot like a nervous teenager, smiling at the small gesture. Something in your back pocket shifts as you move again. It's nearly weightless, and yet it sits heavier than any of your armor or weapons.

When your fireteam is familiar and happy with their gear, they start back towards the bottom of the stairs, ready to transmat back into orbit. You turn to claim your own gear, but freeze when you hear Saint clear his throat from behind you.

"Will you stay a moment?" Saint asks.

Your fireteam looks on from the bottom of the stairs, and you turn to send them off with a wave. "I'll catch up with you guys!"

"Drinks are on you, then, hero." One of them says.

You sigh. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

The other laughs. "See you soon."

The two transmat away in a sheen of light, and you turn to Saint fully again, stepping closer. He opens his arms to you again, and this time you let yourself be taken up in them, squeezed in a tight embrace.

"I want to congratulate you, my love. You've grown stronger than I could have ever imagined," he says, patting your back.

"It's one flawless run, Saint." You chuckle.

"A feat many guardians have yet to accomplish. Do not undermine your success. Things have not been easy, you know it as well as I do, and yet you remain so unyielding," he says with a level of awe he'd used so often with you.

Your body tenses in an attempt to hold back the emotion building in your chest. You straighten your back, and hold your head high like a soldier at attention. But Saint's words don't ask that of you, not now, and rarely ever outside of Trials.

Saint tilts your chin down, and you press your cheek into his palm as best you can almost immediately. "You are the best of us. A monument to the Traveler's strength. But you are not a weapon, and violence is not easy. Despite this, you fought, and despite this, you've prevailed."

You pout behind your helmet, your lip twitching and your eyes stinging. Saint's voice is so disarming, you feel exposed even through your armor. The tension in your shoulders tightens, and then snaps as you quiver.

He takes your hands in his and squeezes them gently, giving you his undivided attention. "You made it, and I am so proud of you."

There's more meaning behind the words than a flawless run of Trials. You can hear it so clearly in his voice, and you can feel it so deeply in your chest. Nothing can stop the tears from welling in your eyes, and with a small shudder, you finally let yourself fall apart, because now Saint was here to help put you back together.

It was strange to not feel alone. A wall between you and others had grown with your legacy, and although Saint glorified you as the rest of humanity had, it was different. His reverence was intimate. Saint's worship extended past your titles, to the smaller, weaker pieces of you, hidden away with fear. He adored you regardless of your uncertainty, your anger, your sorrow. He saw beyond the title of God Slayer, and for reasons you still found hard to decipher, he cherished all of you, even the feeble and delicate parts of you that slipped through when you'd lose the strength to pretend.

The weakness had felt so scary for a time, but he never used it against you. His touch was tender, his voice was gentle, and most of all, his love was sincere. He was honored you allowed him to see you. The you who was afraid. The you who needed to be able to cry like you were now, safe in his arms and soothed by his Light.

You wail into his shoulder, grabbing onto him wherever you can with so much armor between the two of you. Your hands move over him desperately in an attempt to map him out in all his glory. Saint stands tall, inviting your touch with his own. It seems as good a time as ever to give him his due.

You speak softly into the junction between his helmet and chest piece, "I have something for you."

"This is your victory, there's no need for you to bring me gifts." Saint chuckles.

But there is. You know it as you reach into your pocket and brush your fingers over a piece of smooth satin. And once you've wrapped the fabric around your palm, you present it to him timidly.

He seems to be at a loss for words, ghosting his hand over the lavender ribbon as if it'll crumble away under his finger tips.

"Guardian..." He says. There's a tremble to his voice, a whisper of disbelief underneath it.

"I love you, Saint." You reach for his hand, and Saint turns his palm in yours. "And I want you to have this."

"This isn't necessary," says Saint.

"It's bad luck not to pay Saint-14 his due," you say with a smile. You're sure he'd be rolling his eyes at the phrase under any other circumstances, but he's too overwhelmed to do anything but stare at the ribbon as you circle it around his bracer. "I wouldn't be here without you. You're as much my savior as I am yours." You tie the ribbon into a tight bow, tugging on the ends to keep it secure, and then bringing Saint's palm to your helmet to press where your lips would be against his wrist. You consider it a simple gesture. He considers it a blessing.

The Lighthouse is completely still as you stand there, a faint tune carrying over you two occasionally. Saint sniffles behind his helmet.

You let out a little laugh and open your arms for him again. "Don't cry! You're gonna make _me_ cry! Again!"

Saint hiccups as he ducks his arms under yours and presses his helmet to your chest, clutching on to you as you had clung to him. "I adore you. Completely and eternally."

You clank your helmet against his as a substitute for a kiss. "I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hadn't realized at first, but TYSM FOR OVER 200 KUDOS!! You've all been so sweet and I get so excited knowing there's people who enjoy my writing! Thank you for all your comments as well! I don't respond to all of them, but I promise I read and appreciate every single one. I hope you guys have a good summer, and I hope to continue updating throughout it! I'll be busy with school this fall, so this series might slow down waaaay more, go on hiatus, or discontinue depending on how I can manage my schedule. That's still a while from now though, so let's just focus on the most important task at hand: loving Saint-14!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inb4 season 11 comes out in a couple hours.

You return to Saint's ship in the early hours of the morning after a long mission on Mars, and waste no time in unbuckling your armor and stripping out of your undersuit once you stepped through the door. Saint lays in bed quietly as you undress, waiting patiently with a smile, and whistling when you bend over to tuck away your boots. You turn to roll your eyes at him with a smile before walking forward.

"Take these off," you say as you slip into bed next to him, tugging at his clothes.

"You've been home for minutes and you already want to get me out of my clothes?" He asks suggestively.

You laugh. "Just wanna be closer."

"And a few layers of fabric are too much?"

"Yep."

He doesn't argue, pulling his shirt over his head and kicking his briefs off before opening an arm to you. Saint lays in bed with you lazily for a while, sprawled on his side and propping himself up on an elbow with you tucked closely into his side. It's natural and soothing to have you close, and Saint appreciates how much warmer the bed feels with you in it.

You break the short silence with a whisper. "Osiris told me he wanted you to meet with the House of Light."

"What else did he tell you?"

"It didn't go well," you say with a sad smile. "They've been through a lot, Saint."

He huffs. "I will not weep for murderers."

"I think you weep for the helpless. You weep at suffering," you say, "The House of Light weep at that too. A lot has changed since the Dark Age, Saint. We're working against a common enemy."

Saint shakes his head. "I will never forget what they've done to us."

"I'm not asking you to, and I'll never make you, but grudges will get us nowhere now," you say. You lean forward to kiss his throat, feeling it bob as your lips linger for a moment. He anticipates a scrape of teeth, a glide of your tongue, but you pull away instead with wide eyes and a small pout. 

"Do it for me?" Your bottom lip juts out further and you brush your fingers down Saint's waist, dipping them slightly into the crook of his hip.

Saint's thigh tenses for a moment at your touch. Then he relaxes with a sigh, squinting at you with obvious suspicion. He knows what you're doing, and you're just as aware of it too.

That doesn't mean it doesn't work.

He frowns at you with a small _'hmph,'_ and buckles under you immediately. "Very well. _One_ meeting. For you."

You smile widely at him and Saint feels one of his fans buzz on when you lean in to kiss his neck again, this time with the scrape of teeth he'd wanted before. "Thank you," you say in a sing-song tone.

"Anything for you." He wraps his arms around your waist and rolls over with you so you can lay flat against his chest, and you melt into him with a dreamy sigh.

The night is comfortable and warm, and sleep comes easier for both of you as Saint rubs your back and hums to you. He stays up longer than you, but only to make sure you rest well, and to be able to see you in a complete state of peace that made his chest tight. You were worth more than any grudge.

Osiris sends a reflection to you the next day.

"Well? Did he agree?" He asks.

"With some light nudging," you say with a smile.

The reflection shakes his head. "Of course. Only you could manage to change that man's mind."

Your smile morphs into a grin and you chuckle. "I have my ways."


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some pining for Saint set before your relationship because I sure do love to yearn.

He notices the way you skirt around the edges of the Hangar soon after his return to the Tower. Each time you returned to the Tower, Saint would catch you dancing around him. From Dead Orbit, to Ms.Holliday, and then towards the back of the crowd that would form around him on a daily basis. That was as close as you'd approach for a while. Just enough to see him, to hear his voice, and watch him pose as a monument of strength before the Guardians that gathered around him. He stops you one day when he sees you making your escape with the rest of the dispersing crowd, calling your name with a rich voice highlighted with a curious tone. You freeze like you've been caught in some act, and turn back towards him nervously.

"I have not seen you since our first meeting at the Tower, are you well?" He asks.

You fumble with your hands for a moment as you deliberate on an answer, and then speak softly. "I've just been busy. How have you been?"

"Wonderful!" He answers. "The City is a sight to behold, I cannot believe how far it has come. Your efforts show in the smiling faces of the people, I am proud of you."

You laugh, slightly uncertain in a way. Saint thinks the sound is lovely regardless.

"Would you like to come in? I feel we have much to discuss," he asks.

Wringing your hands, you nod. "Yeah, that'd be nice."

And so Saint spends the rest of his night in the Gray Pigeon, fully enthralled in all your tales of loot and combat and every small detail between. Occasionally, he'll laugh, or chip in his own story to match with yours. He's been told he's a good storyteller, and he imagines that must be why you gaze at him so deeply with enchanted eyes, and why you smile with such delight every time he laughs. You know it's much more than that, though, and when you leave Saint for the night, you wish he knew too.

Saint sees you lingering around the corners of the Hangar again a few days later, but this time he doesn't have to call out for you. You come straight to him once the afternoon crowd of Guardians disperses, with something clutched nervously in your hands.

"I have something for you," you say, extending a thin box wrapped in paper to him.

"Hm? What is this?" He takes the small box from your hands and brushes his fingers over the lavender tissue paper, then pulls it away gently to avoid tearing the paper. There's no reason a man of his size should be so careful. His strength alone was already captivating, but seeing him move so softly was equally as enthralling to you.

With the tissue paper removed, he lifts the lid off the slim white box, and makes a surprised sound at the contents. A fountain pen sits snuggly in a velvet cushion, alongside two pen nibs and a bottle of ink. The barrel is a deep purple, marbled with white and lavender, and the pen tip shines in a bright silver. He traces a finger up the silver detailing on the side of the pen, and tilts the box just to watch it gleam.

"You mentioned needing a new pen the other night, and that there was a pen from one of the city vendors you liked," you say.

Saint grins down at the intricate pen. "I though you'd be busy the next few days from what you said before! What brought you to the City?"

_You._ Is what you want to say. _I was there for you._

You shrug. "I was in the area."

Except that's not true. You'd barely made it to your next Strike after hurrying into the City market and bouncing from stall to stall in order to find the pen, only going off of the vague description he'd given you the other night. It's an effort completely unbeknown to Saint, and one you had no intention of revealing.

Saint chuckles and steps forward to pat you on the back with a heavy hand. "You are a gift, my friend! Thank you."

His palm fits too nicely between your shoulder blades, you think. Far too natural and comforting, like you were made to be cradled by him. Like you were something worthy of his touch.

_'My friend'_ was fine. Saint's friendship was actually one of the few you've had since your resurrection. But you so desperately wanted to be more than that. More than just _'my friend.'_ Maybe you could be _'my dear,'_ or _'my love.'_ Maybe even _'mine'_ would be enough. Being his above all else.

"Will you visit tomorrow?" Saint asks with a hopefulness that pulls you away from your thoughts.

_I'll always come back to you._ Is what you want to say. What you truly want is to kneel before him and take his hand in yours in order to whisper an oath against the back of his palm, dedicated to him and him alone.

"I can make time."

He laughs with excitement, and you curse how gorgeous a sound it is, because you know you'll do anything to hear it again and again. And it'll always be worth it.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very short and based off of one of Saint's voicelines.

Saint wanders from simulation to simulation in the Infinite Forest, journying from past, present, and future timelines. Some that he fears, some that he hopes for, and some that have fallen into a state of discord he knows better than to march through. The Vex are desperate to halt his progress, but his search for Osiris is nowhere near finished, and he was not one to ever give up.

Through one gate, he's brought to a simulation that makes him smile. An ocean lays undisturbed, with calm waves rolling up the shore before receding back into the ocean. There's little beyond the sand and the sea, but Saint considers it an oasis regardless. A lull in the constant war he'd fought against the Vex. 

He walks forward, his boots leaving prints in the wet sand before he steps into the ocean. He cannot feel the Sun in the Forest, but the cool water is pleasant regardless. It doesn't matter much to him that his undersuit is wet. These are the moments that remind him of the simple joys he'd lost to the Forest.

He bends down and reaches into the ocean with an open palm that cuts through the gentle waves. And then, he listens. The ocean speaks, and the voice makes Saint pause. 

"I love you," it whispers, "I love you, Saint."

His savior's voice moves with the waves, repeating in cycles each time the water splashes against his hand. He almost wants to pull away, but he lets his fingers drift with the ocean a while longer, closing his eyes and standing very still as if to focus everything he can into listening to the voice. It makes his heart soar.

Each revolution, each affirmation, sparks something in him, and he thinks his throat would feel tight if he had the biology to experience it.

Of course the Forest would know. Of course the Forest would predict what he felt.

Of course the Forest, of all phenomenons, would know that he'd fallen so desperately in love with you.

It's a terrible trick, a frightening infiltration of his deepest thoughts, but as he lets the water brush past him, Saint is almost thankful. The Vex's plan had worked against them, because now the fire in him had been relit. Now, he would fight even harder to hear your voice firsthand again, outside of this cursed forest, and instead below the light of the Traveler with you in the City he longed to see again.

"I love you," your voice echoes.

Saint stands upright again, pulling his hand away from the waves as they lick at his palm one more time.

He whispers, "I love you too."

The moment passes, and the fight continues when he wades back to shore, your voice now pleasantly fresh in his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been going through it and there's a lot in my life happening at once, so this series might slow down sooner than I wanted. I say it pretty much every chapter, but thank you all so much for all the kind words and kudos, everyone has been super nice and I feel like my writing has improved a lot by writing these fics. I'm giving you all kisses through my screen <3


	20. Chapter 20

Saint watches your ship fly into the Hangar with a wide smile beneath his helm. You've been away for a week, kept busy by the Darkness' present on Titan and Io. He's worried every day and night for you, but you've made it back home from every other threat you've ever faced, and he's able to comfort himself with this fact when he lies in bed alone, wishing you were there for him to hold.

You land in a space further away from his ship, and he turns to make sure he can be the first to welcome you home, but his face falls as he watches the gangway unfold, and then sees you stumble down the steps with your armor singed and bloody.

You trip on the last step, barely catching yourself by a support beam, and then wave at him with a pained smile as you meet his eyes.

Saint is rushing across the Hangar in seconds.

He helps you steady yourself when he's close enough, looking you over with fear and worry that melts away in seconds into something more.

"Who did this to you?" There's an underlying growl to his voice, laced with a building anger.

You press your hand to his chest in an attempt to calm him down. "Saint, it's okay, I'm okay."

"Who?" He asks again.

You swallow. "Taken on Io. I was helping with a Pyramid Scale, my Ghost needed to rest, a lot of their Light was drained from revives, it's o--"

"I will rip that Pyramid from the sky myself," he says, carrying you into his ship, away from prying eyes. Your body is not an attraction, especially not when you're as beaten and bloody as you are.

"You still need rest, Saint," you say. Your tone is firmer than before.

"I've rested more than enough." He brings you to his bed and lays you down gently, pulling his hands away as softly as he can. "You've fought in my stead for years, it is my turn to fight in yours." Saint wastes no time in grabbing the Perfect Paradox from where it's leaning beside his bedside table, refamiliarizing himself with the heft of the gun and checking that everything is in order.

"Saint, listen to me," you say even more sternly.

Your tone startles him. He gives you his full attention, stepping closer to kneel next to the bed when you beckon for him.

"I'm okay," you whisper, "I'm gonna be alright. This is what I signed up for."

"I do not like seeing you like this," says Saint, leaning in further for you to unclasp his helmet and set it aside.

You cup his cheek and Saint moves even closer to press his forehead against yours. "I know, but I promise it's okay. My Ghost will be okay soon, just stay with me for now. I don't want you to get hurt for me. You know I'm strong enough."

"That does not make me worry any less."

"It doesn't make me worry any less about you either." You reach out to him with a shaky palm. "C'mon. You can help me get to the med bay, I already told them I'd be coming."

He still seems hesitant, but he relents, and presses his mouth to your lips in a kiss that you can't help but smile into. When he pulls away, you try to stand, but Saint stops you by your shoulder with just two fingers.

"I will carry you," Saint declares. There's no room for argument, but nothing in you would want to argue anyways.

You nod and let yourself be lifted from the bed and into Saint's loving arms. For a moment, all he does is stand there, pressing his face against your cheek. Your pain is his pain, and even though you try to hide the way you wince and groan, your wounds leave his heart heavy.

"I love you," he says, "I promise I will fight by your side soon enough."

You hum and nuzzle further into his arm. "I love you too. I can't wait."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I say anything else, I just wanna say THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 300 KUDOS :'D!!! Writing this fic, sharing it with all of you, and seeing how much you've all enjoyed it has made me so so so happy! This is still gonna update a little slow, but I'm sure I'll be posting like crazy again whenever Saint gets some more story relevance (hopefully). I hope you're all doing well ^_^!


	21. Chapter 21

He remembers the first time you took your helmet off. He remembers because the moment he heard the click and release, he dropped everything to give you his full attention.

You'd arrived in the Tower during one of the colder months, your boots crunching on a few mounds of snow around Saint's ship while he fed the pigeons with his back turned to you.

He didn't even have to turn around to know what you were plotting.

"I advise you put that snowball down, Guardian," he said, and you let out a muffled laugh. It sounded tinny through your helmet comm, but it still made Saint smile regardless.

"Has anyone managed to get you with one?" You dropped the snowball and wiped your gloves off as you stepped closer to sit on the steps of the Gray Pigeon.

He chuckled. "Most Guardians are smart enough not to try."

"Only most?"

"Well, the Hangar brings many Hunters." Saint turned a quarter and spread another handful of seeds with a grin.

You laughed dryly at that, and Saint was ready to ask you about your day, but he froze as he watched you move from the corner of his eye.

There was a small click from where you were, completely unnoticeable to anyone else in the Hangar, but so incredibly loud to Saint. 

You slipped your helmet off slowly, shaking your head and taking a deep breath of the crisp Hangar air with your head free. Saint found that the smell of grease and gasoline was an acquired scent (enjoyed by Holiday more than anyone else he'd ever met), but when you plopped your helmet down next to you, you sighed out like it was the most pleasant thing you'd smelled in weeks.

His eyes wandered immediately. From your eyes, to your nose, to the tip of your chin and up again to your lips, completely enraptured.

The entire Hangar shifted away until you were all he could see and care for in the moment. Sitting right in front of him, staring out at the loading and docking ships with small puffs of fog periodically blowing from your lips, entirely clueless to how you made his chest hum.

You were beautiful. And when you turned to look at him directly with your eyes full of Light and your smile wide and bright, Saint's fans whistled ever so gently.

It takes longer for him to get there. You're not entirely sure whether he's nervous to take his helm off or if he'd simply never saw a reason to, but you didn't push him. Asking him to take it off didn't seem appropriate, and the last thing you wanted was to make Saint uncomfortable.

Still, you wish he would. You wish you could see his face again, bright and happy instead of cold and lifeless like it'd been in his tomb.

The opportunity arises eventually in that strange transition between friends and lovers you'd been locked in. Where Saint's words are doting and your touches are lingering, and he visits your apartment almost every night to trade stories and provide counsel as you need it.

It's unfortunate at times just how much of a gentleman Saint was, clearly waiting for you to take the lead in whatever direction you wanted your relationship to turn. But this night, when Saint is sitting at your kitchen table with you, listening to you complain about your day, he's the one to move your relationship forward.

"Perhaps I should have a word with Zavala," he says as you finish your rant about the Tangled Shore.

You smile at his generosity, but shake your head. "He has enough problems."

"And you do not?"

He has a point, and you know he wants you to be kinder to yourself; to treat yourself better, but you just shrug at the question.

"I guess." Its unclear whether you mean _'I guess I do'_ or _'I guess I don't,'_ but you don't feel ready for that conversation, and Saint can see that as you shift your gaze to the table.

The apartment is quiet for a while as the two of you sit in silence, until you hear Saint move in his seat and clear his throat.

"Would you help me remove my helmet?"

Your eyes widen a fraction, and you tilt your head almost curiously at the question.

You're sure he doesn't need help, but it's not for him. It's for you. It's to make himself vulnerable with you. To expose himself in a way that will help you do the same.

"Of course," you whisper.

You reach your hand out slowly, tracing two of your fingers along the side of his neck to find the release. The latch catches under your forefinger, and you push down on it gently. It clicks with a hiss as it depressurizes. You pull off the helm carefully, and your eyes shine the moment you can catch a glimpse of his chin.

The helmet is heavy and cold in your hands. You note the dents and scratches riddling the surface. Some of them show attempts at buffing out the imperfections. The oldest untouched dent is from his encounter with Taniks. It's a large crevice, slightly off center in relation to the bright light running from the crown of his helm to the chin, and it makes you notice something endearing.

Saint saved the damage on his helm from battles worth remembering. With a large dent from Taniks, all the way to a faint radiolarian stain from the Minotaur that had followed him out of the Forest during his escape.

You smile, and continue to lift away the helmet, until you pull it away completely and finally, _finally_ stare into Saint's eyes. He leaves you speechless.

There's a few points of articulation on his face separated into different plates resembling high cheek bones, strong brow bones, and a chiseled jaw. You study the dents, scratches, and chipped pieces of his complexion closely.

You'd gained similar scars when you'd lost your Light. Injuries your Ghost could no longer heal, similar to those you'd acquired in your first life. Maybe some of his had been from his life before his resurrection, too. You were already dying to know the story behind every single one.

His throat is unlit at the moment, but you can see the LED paneling that travels up the sides of his throat and to his mouth. You wonder if they light up in the same brilliant lavender as his eyes, and you're so excited to find out as you admire him.

Saint was patient. There were few things in life now that he could not wait for, and he took pride in upholding that fortitude. But you make him so incredibly impatient with your lips slightly parted and your face lit with marvel. Enough so that before you can even set the helmet down, he's pulling you forward to cup the back of your neck and kiss you. He almost moans when you move to sit in his lap, holding his helm tightly to your stomach.

You're not even sure what to say (not that you could say much anyways with your lips so occupied.) There's something so divine forged into the powerful machine that is Saint's body. The Light in him feels like it's been painstakingly folded into the metal in layers upon layers of steel. It would take so much force to shatter him, but your hands still shake with caution when you pull your fingers away from the helmet settled between you to start towards his face. You slide them slowly up his chest, but the nerves get to you at the worst moment, and you stop yourself just short of his neck.

Saint makes a disappointed sound as his brow plates shift to scrunch together, and you find you were right, the light in his throat does match his eyes.

You sigh into the kiss when his hands grip yours and he pulls them up for you to cradle his jaw in your hands. The action nearly overwhelms him as your Light flares up with an electrifyingly hot burst of desires. All that's missing in you is the chilling Void.

Maybe you were simply out of practice with the Void after a long Solar singe from the Traveler, or maybe you'd never been well versed in it at all, but Saint still feels so blessed and lucky when he can feel his Light slit perfectly with yours, filling that emptiness with an ironic abundance of Void Light.

Your Light shines even brighter, and its so incredible to think that _he_ could do that. That his Light could make you--the most powerful Guardian he'd ever had the honor of meeting--even stronger in mind and body. From the recess of your chest to every node spreading across every neuron in your mind.

You pull away from him to take deep, needy breaths, and Saint looks at you with bright, kind eyes; full of joy and life.

"Hey, handsome," you say finally, smiling as you run your thumb in circles across his cheek.

Saint chuckles, and leans into your palm with a grin. "Hello, angel."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a really hard time deciding how I wanted to describe Saint's face in this for some reason. I was caught between keeping it vague to let people imagine what they think Saint looks like and describing him in great detail to give a solid image of what I think he looks like.
> 
> I can't remember which fic I read that implied Saint had scars that his Ghost couldn't heal because he acquired them while he didn't have his Light, but I think about it every single day, and if you guys know please let me know so I can credit the author with the idea ):


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for typos or w/e I don't proofread shit

Geppetto is usually the one to warn you when Saint's thoughts start to wander too far. You suspect it has something to do with returning to Mercury so often now, especially with it being so soon after his escape. The role of tournament organizer was entrusted with him for a reason, but there were times when Saint could lose his touch with reality, and with the Forest so close, it's no wonder he'd grow paranoid.

When he returns from Mercury that weekend, you're already waiting for him by his tournament console, and even though he greets you with a warm hug, he's uncharacteristically quiet, and his thoughts are clearly elsewhere.

You keep him close to you for a second longer than usual to whisper against the side of his helm.

"Let's go home," you say, daring to kiss the side of his helm with your face hidden away from most of the Hangar.

Public appearances are the least of your worries currently. Let the Hunters that creep around the Hangar gossip, you have more pressing concerns than scandalous rumors. Not that there's any shame in being in an intimate relationship with the greatest Titan to ever live.

Saint lets out a pleased hum at the kiss and nods against your shoulder, standing upright to let you lead him to your apartment. His steps seem cautious, and you can see his head shift from side to side, like he's completely unfamiliar with the Tower again even after months of traversing it now.

You take his hand in yours about half way through the walk to keep him focused, and Saint squeezes your hand like he's checking your solidness, as if you may break into code at the pressure. You squeeze his hand back comfortingly, and when you reach the steps of your apartment, you let yourself up to the top first, taking heavier steps than usual to show Saint that each one is real, physical and safe. The action clearly makes the trek easier for him.

Once you've brought him into the hallway, you turn to help lift his helmet away, but Saint quickly stops your hands as they move upward.

You don't take any offense, and you show no disappointment. You're willing to move as slowly as he needs to ensure he feels safe and comfortable.

Instead of removing his helm, you move your hands outwards to settle on his pauldrons, and Saint nods his permission.

Unbuckling each, you set them down on your hallway table gently, and your hands wait at each piece of his armor for him to give you permission before you pull them away. At his chest plate, you give a kiss to his chassis; At his cuffs, you squeeze his wrists; At his boots, you rub his thighs. And when you move back up again, Saint leans his head forward for you to remove his helmet now.

You pull it off easily, already so familiar with each piece of his armor now. Much more versed than the first time you'd tried to rip it all away between hot kisses and desperate touches. The memory makes you smile, and when Saint can see you clearly without his helm, he smiles too.

There's a few grounding techniques you know help Saint the most in these moments, the strongest being taste and touch. You plan to make some lavender cookies, but you want to at least soothe him a bit further before picking up any long tasks.

You take his hands in yours slowly, and speak gently. "Tell me where you are, Saint."

The way he hesitates makes your heart ache.

His brow plates slant upwards with unsureness, and his mouth is agape for a moment as he tries to speak, but he's too unfocused to get the words out. His eyes seem so far away, but you are undeterred in bringing him back, just as you had been the first time you had rescued him from the Forest.

You kiss the tips of his fingers, then bring his palm flat against your chest with a deep breath.

The Vex can't simulate the Light. It's a gift beyond their understanding, something inimitable through data, and thus completely absent from the Forest. Here in your apartment, however, the Light radiates off of you in waves of heat, powerful and protective.

Saint sighs, almost in relief. He let's you wrap your arms around him, melting under the warm glow of Light you pour over him.

"Home," he finally breathes, "I am home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hi :) it's been a while but I still love Saint, I've just been busy. My mind has also been on the Eliksni a lot because of Beyond Light and I've been on the fence about starting pieces for some of my favorite bugs or not. Thank you all soooooo much for the kudos and comments and bookmarks it really makes my day when I check ao3 and see so many new interactions ❤️!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't proof read this if you find a mistake no you didn't.

He catches you by your arm on your way from the loading bay with a quiet question.

"Maintenance?" You repeat. "Can't Geppetto help with that?"

"Geppetto has joined the Ghost Community Theatre, and I would hate to pull her away from rehearsal for one loose screw. She is a bit..."

"Lonely?" You finish.

"Shy," says Saint.

You smile. "Okay, so what happened?"

Saint falters for a moment, fidgeting in place. "I was officiating a Trials match this morning--very exciting teams, many promising faces!-- And, well, as I imagine anyone would have, I had gotten a bit...excited after a round. When I lifted my arms to celebrate--" Saint raises his left arm overhead, then points at his ribs with his other hand. "I heard something click. There's been a strange rattling between my ribs since."

You bite your tongue trying not to laugh. The obvious joke about Saint's age is tempting, but you hold yourself back. "You said 'this morning?' Does that mean you haven't done anything about it yet?"

Saint mumbles embarassedly, "I was hoping it'd go away."

You can't stop yourself from snorting at that part, and Saint crosses his arms at you defensively as you rush to cover your smile.

"Okay, okay," you giggle, "I'll help. It probably wouldn't do you much good if you went poking around in your chest without some help, anyways. It'll be easier with a second pair of hands. C'mon." You tug Saint's hand away from his forearm, pull him up the steps of the Grey Pigeon, and down the hall into your now shared room.

There's a layout of tools already set on his desk. He must've considered going in alone before he saw you in the Hangar. It was a good decision on his part, setting aside at least a portion of his pride and asking for assistance.

"Need help?" You lift his hand to your lips to kiss the back of his palm and pull slightly at his bracers.

The two of you move from buckle to buckle in removing his armor, your hands never clashing against each other, working in tandem as two parts of a practiced system.

When you finally remove his undersuit and it pools to the floor forgotten, you grab his tools from the desk while Saint lays back with his hands crossed over his chest. The action seems nervous.

You settle on your knees next to him, leaning down to stroke his head affectionately. "Are you comfortable?"

Saint turns his head into your palm and repeats himself from earlier. "Shy." Like Guardian like Ghost.

You smile and reach for a screwdriver. "I'll be gentle."

"I believe you will be," he says, and moves his palms away for you to bring the tip of the screwdriver to the corner of his chest.

The plating comes off easily after you twist out each screw. You move the chest piece aside as if it is a fragile artifact instead of heavy reinforced steel.

You look over his chest in awe, unhinged with coils and wires laced together into flesh and bone.

There's a rhythmic rise and fall to his body from the compressors beneath his ribs, and you find yourself mindlessly matching your breath to their pace.

Coolant valves pulse like arteries, flowing across his chest in bright blue strips and disappearing beneath the chrome beyond your workspace. You watch the fluid circulate through him like blood, all concentrated around a central system you'd call his heart. 

You're not sure what comes over you, but the sight of him is too much to bear alone. There's no way to show how much you love him with just your gaze, and there's no words you can find in the moment to describe how tightly he makes your heart swell. So you do what feels right.

You lean down and kiss him. Right on the tip of a platinum rib, cold beneath your lips. And Saint lets out the smallest groan that makes you want to do it again. Again, and again, and again--from that single rib, to each bolt, screw and cord until your lips are ghosting over that bright core you can feel buzzing with power and strain.

Saint murmurs your name and brings up a shaky hand to cradle the back of your head. His grip is not harsh, but you are frozen above him regardless. The solar system was full of mechanical remains, all impressive reminders of the glory of the Golden Age, but nothing you'd linger too long on. This is the first time you've thought to call machinery beautiful.

Saint is built of something more than metal. Conviction, you think. Between each delocalized electron. At the center of every atom. In the soul he holds beneath all those tangled wires.

He is steel and copper and hundreds of intricate circuits all built into the shape of a man, and you are so in love with him.

"Hey," you say.

Saint looks at you expectantly.

"I love you."

A fan clicks on somewhere behind his ribs, and the coolant duct underneath your finger throbs with a large pulse from his central chassis. Saint seems a bit sheepish having his feelings bared so plainly, but you giggle so sweetly at the reaction that he's thankful for his body's response.

"Do you believe me now when I tell you of the affect you have on me?" Saint asks.

"You've never given me a reason not to," you say. Your hand dips back into his chest cavity and you finally start to feel for any piece of him that could be out of place.

"Are you done admiring then?" Saint asks with a smirk.

"Not even close," you answer, already feeling lost in his beauty again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiii posting this just to ensure everyone I am still alive and still deeply in love with Saint-14! I've been playing a lot of Genshin Impact so Destiny has been on the back burner for me + I have sooo much homework it sucks. Anyways thank you for all the kudos and comments as ALWAYS you guys are so sweet ❤️❤️❤️

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments mean the world to me! I love any and all feedback! Feel free to leave requests, I can't promise I'll do them all, but you might help strike me with some inspiration!


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